Ergonomics, loss management, and occupational injury and illness surveillance. Part 1: elements of loss management and surveillance. A review

Abstract

This paper discusses ergonomic design principles and programs in terms of a practical, comprehensive corporation-wide loss management viewpoint. Comprehensive loss management may be novel to some individuals in the field of ergonomics, and hence its basic premises are introduced and discussed. One key component of any comprehensive ergonomic program and inherently the loss management program employing ergonomic strategies is the need for thorough and integrated information concerning Occupational Injury and Illness within the organization. These data are utilized to identity and justify the need for an ergonomic design intervention as well as serve as a means of evaluating the efficacy of the intervention. The Occupational Injury and Illness surveillance system model employed by a mid-sized industrial organization is reviewed in Part 1 of this paper. Part 2 of this paper presents the complete Occupational Injury and Illness profile of the mid-sized industrial corporation based upon a comprehensive loss management system model. Relevance to industry An integral component in determining whether or not an ergonomic intervention is required as well as a means of evaluating the intervention is the Occupational Injury and Illness surveillance program in place within the organization. Without adequate and accurate information pertaining to the Occupational Injury and Illness characteristics of the workforce, a comprehensive ergonomic intervention cannot be successfully implemented.